Electric ignition and lighting



Feb.4, 1941. ER ETAL 2,230,508

ELECTRIC IGNITION AND LIGHTING SYSTEM Filed July 20, 1939 INVENTORS /f4/?Z 555/? BY ausr/u PFRJZWAW QI/LAQWW ATTORNEY.

i V ement .ih

Patented at. 4, 1941 UNITED. STATE 2,230,508 m IGNITION AND LIGHTING SYSTEM v nil Beer, swam, and Gustav Hronuner,

bertnrkhclm Hauling, Stuttgart, German! 1 Application July :0, 1930, Serial No. mass In Germany July 23, 1938 12Claims. (cam-s7) The present invention relates to electric ignictlon and lighting systems. and particularly to syiems in which a generator supplies ignition impulses to a sparkplug or'sparkplugs oi! an in- 5 ternal combustion engine at predetermined paiods and also supplies current impulses to translating devices as a lamp or lamps.

Prior arrangements of this general kind were devised to supply ignition and lighting devices from a single generator but alse or undesired ignition sparks occurred in addition to these desired,oratundesired periods,withtheresu1t that the undesired sparks at the sparkplug or sparkplugs caused backfire or misiire otthc en sometimes with dangerous consequences.

7 The primary object of this invention is to provide an ignition and lighting system in which ignition is reliably prevented at undesired periods. This is accomplished by providing a switching 90 mchanism for the ignition and lighting circuits which connects the ignition circuit alone to the generator at the predetermined or desired periods of ignition and which connects the lighting circuit alone to the generator in intermediate periods. 25 Preferably this is accomplished by connecting the ignition and lighting circuits in shunt relationto each other and providing an interrupter in each circuit for connecting and disconnecting the circuit to the generator, the cam or the inter- 30 rupters'beingsoarrangedthattheleverinthe lightingcircuitisopenedatabout thetimethe lever in the ignition circuit is closed and then closed at about the time the lever in the ignition circuitis opened toproduce an ignition spark,-the

35 lever in the ignition circuit then remaining open and the lever in the lighting circuit then remaining 'closed between the predetermined desired periods of ignition.

Other objects of the invention are to provide losuchenarrangementinconnectionwithagenorator having a generating winding composed of primary and secondary windings, one or more sparkplugs being connected in the well known waytothesecondarywindingandalsotopro- 45 wide such an arrangement in connection with a having a plurality of generating windfi'n'gseach of aprimarywinding aloneor ot secondary windings in inductive and i'urthermore to provide such an ar- U connection withsingle or double or low-tension or high-tension types; at theperiods of generation oi igniimpulscs, flux reversals or flux changes-in of the one or the plurality Still other objects will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing diagrammatically illustrating the invention in application, as anexample, to a generator of the magneto type in which the rotor is a flux 5 distributor. and has a plurality of arms cooperating with a multipolar stator structure including permanent magnets "and also includinggeneratingcoilseachwithaprimaryandasecondary winding for the simultaneous generatlon of ign'l- 10 tion impulses at two sparkplugs at predetermined periods of flux reversal and for the simultaneous generation 01' lighting impulses in two lighting circuits at otherperiods oi flux reversal.

In the drawing, the reference n represents a 15 laminated or sheet steel stator structure having four poles b magnetically connected to two permanent magnets c, and also having two laminated coil cores I in the arrangement as shown. A generating winding, comprising a primary or lowtension winding 0 and a secondary or high-tension winding h in inductive relation thereto, is mounted on each coil core I. The rotor comprises a shaft d on. which is fastened a flux distrihutor e of laminated or sheet steel with six equally spaced radial projections a so as to produce with the tour-pole stator twelve flux reversa'ls in the two coil cores 1, and therefore twelve current impulses in the two primary windings a, at intervals in each rotation of the 30 rotor It, for example, this generator driven at crank shaft or engine speed is used for igniting a tourcycle internal combustion engine having'twn cylinders at 90 with quartered cranks, oi the twelve flux reversals through each coil core I efiected during each rotation of the engine and the flux distributor 0, only one of the flux reversals is necessary for the generation of an ignition impulse in each ignition circuit. The re-' 40 maining periods of generation in the primary windings a may then be utilized as current im- 'pulses in each lighting circuit for lighting the lamps therein.

The switching mechanism preferably used for this purpose includes a spring-pressed interrupter v lever i of well known kind. operated by a cam i onthrotorshai'tdandshuntedby acondenserk in each of the two grounded ignition circuits 1''. The switching mechanism-also includes, in each of the two groundui lighting circuits 1'', a spring? pressed interrupter lever l of well known kind operatedby acamlon therotorshaitdand connected to r'eqiective primary windings 0 in shuntrelaticn to the corresponding ignitionycirso cuiw 2'". Each lighting circuit also includes one or more incandescent lamps m shunted by a manual controlling switch 0. A. sparkplug n in a cylinder of the engine is connected. to the high voltage terminal of each secondary h. The cams i are so constructed and arranged that levers i operate simultaneously and have a long open period with a short closure once in each rotation during that period of flux reversalm the coil cores i when the flats on the cams of those interrupters are opposite the levers. The cams Z are so constructed and arranged that the levers I operate simultaneously and have a long closed period with a short opening once in each rotation during the same period of flux reversal when the lobes on the cams of those interiupters engage the levers.

Considering now the levers i and E connected to the upper winding 9 of the drawing, the ar rangement is such that just preceding the generation of the desired ignition spark at sparkplug 12, at which instant the parts have the position shown in the drawing, the flux from the N.

pole of the right hand magnet c flows through upper coil core f and thence through the flux distributor e to the S'. pole of that et, whereas the flux from the N. pole of the left hand magnet c flows through the flux distributor e and thence lower coil core I. At this instant the lever i starts to close and the lever 1 starts to open. In a few degrees of rotation thereafter when the flux starts to reverse through the coil cores as a result of the new alinement of other extensions c with poles b, the lever i which had just closed now suddenly opens while the lever B which had Just opened new starts to close. The sudden opening of the ignition circuit i" at the time the lighting circuit Z" is open efl'ects a decay of the circuit in the primary winding 9 which decreases the time period of flux reversal and therefore increases the rate of flux change, so that a suficiently high voltage is generated in the secondary wi- P5 to produce a spark at the sparlrplug a, this representing the predetermined ordeslred period of ignition of the engine. Shortly thereafter, and before the next flux reversal in the coil core 1, the lever i is opened and the lever l is closed, the current impulses generated in the whip until the next desired period of ition then flowing to the lamp 112 so long as the switch 0 is open. This cycle of operation is repeated in each rotation of the rotor 1..- occurs simultaneously in the lower ignition and lighting circuits con nected to the lower generating wings g in the drawing.

It will be observed in the operation oi the ignition and lighting system that for each generating winding one or the other of the two levers t and Z is closed at all times except for the short inter vals including the desired instants of ignition when the ignition lever i opens soon after it closes, and that throughout all the periods oi dun reversal except the one at which ignition oc curs, the lever Z remains closed. The result is that the lever i is closed for a sumcient period just preceding the period of ignition, and the lever Z is open for a sumcient time during that period, to allow current to build up in the pri= mary winding g to sufiiciently increase the rate of the flux reversal, upon the decay of that cur-- rent when the circuit is opened by lever 15, to generate such a voltage in coil 7; as will produce an ignition spark at the sparhplug 72.. Another reof flux reversal, the continued closure oi the lever vent the rate of flux reversal ever becoming so rapid that a suiiiciently high voltage foran ignition spark is generated in the winding It even at high speeds of rotation of the rotor. In this way,

ignition sparks are produced at the desired periads and no false or undesired ignition spark is ever produced at either sparkplug n.

It will be obvious that the lever I may be opened at any time after lever i closes provided that the final interruption of both the ignition and the lighting circuits occurs at the predetermined or desired: period of ignition to bring about the debay of the current in the primary winding 9 and thereby the rapid rate of flux reversal in coil core I. Also the lever 3 may subsequently close at the time the lever 5 opens at the desired period of ignition, or at any time thereafter, provided that the lighting circuit 1" is closed during those periods of ilux reversal between the desired periods of ignition, for otherwise the flux reversal without the interruption of the cit cuit ofythe generating winding or may be sufliciently rapid at high speed of the rotor to produce ignition sparks at those undesired periods.

Furthermore, it will be obvious that the lever I should never be opened while the lever i is open at any period oi flux reversal other than at the desired periods of ignition because undesired ignition sparks would be caused thereby, and that preferably the lever i should not be closed at any period between the desired periods of ignition since the current impulses that would otherwise It will now be obvious that a generator-pf this kind may have one or any suitable number of generating coils in accordance with the invention, and may have in each rotation any suitable number of flux reversals, or other flux changes if not reversed. Also more than one current impulse per rotation may be utilized for ignition. and provision may be made whereby only some of the intermediate impulses may be utilized for lighting. Also it will be obvious that the generator may be driven at cam shaft or other desired speed relative to that of the engine and may be used for ignition of any desired 1:. or or rangeznent of cylinders, or any desired nber of sparkplugs in each cylinder, and for two cycle or other desired cycle of operation of the engine. Furthermore, the arrangement of the stator and rotor and oi the interrupters may be such that the ignition impulses, and also the lighting im-' pulses, may be generated successively instead oi simultaneously in the plurality of generating windings. Furthermore, it will be obvious that translating devices other than lamps may be supplied and therefore the term lighting" as used herein and in the appended claims is intended to broadly cover within its meaning all translating devices and circuits therefor. Still other changes may occur within the intended scope of the mded s.

. claimed is: V

1. In an ignition and lighting system, an electric generator having a generating winding, ignition and lighting circuits, and switching mechanism arranged .to connect the ignition circuit alone to said winding at'predetermined periods of generation therein and to connect the lighting circuit alone to said winding at other periods 'of generation therein, whereby ignition is prevented at undesired periods.

' 2. In an ignition and lighting system, an electric generator having a generating winding, ignition and lighting circuits, and switching mechanism arranged to connect the ignition circuit to and disconnect the lighting circuit from said winding during predetermined periods of generation therein and to maintain the lighting circuit connected to said winding and the ignition circuit disconnected therefrom between said pre-- determined periods, whereby ignition is prevented at undesired periods.

3. In an ignition and lighting system, an electric generator having a generating winding, ignition and lighting circuits, and switching mechanism arranged to connect the ignition circuit to said winding only at predetermined periods of generation therein and to maintain a connection between the lighting circuit and "said winding between the predetermined periods, said switching mechanism also being arranged to disconnect the lighting circuit from said winding at substantially the time it connects the ignition circuit thereto and to connect the lighting circuit'to said winding directly after each of said predetermined periods, whereby ignition is prevented atv undesired periods.

4. In an ignition and lighting system, a mag-. neto having a generating winding in which current impulses are generated at periods of flux change therein, ignition and lighting circuits, and switching mechanism arranged toconnect the ignition circuit alone to said winding-at predetermined ones of said current impulses and to connect the lighting circuit alone to said winding at other of said current impulses, whereby ignition is prevented at undesired periods. I

5. In an ignition and lighting system, a magneto havinga generating winding in which current impulses are generated at periods of flux change therein, ignition and lighting circuits, and switching mechanism arranged to maintain the ignition circuit disconnected from and the lighting circuit connected to said winding between predetermined ones of the current impulses and also arranged at the predetermined ones of the current impulses to connect the ignition circuit to and disconnect the lighting circuit from said' windings, ignition and lighting circuits for each.

generating winding, and switching mechanism arranged to simultaneously connect the ignition circuits alone to their respective windings at predetermined periods of generation therein and to simultaneously connect the lighting circuits alone to their respective windings at other periods of generation therein, whereby ignition in all ignition circuits is prevented at undesired periods, I

7. In an ignition and lighting system, an electric generator having a generating winding, an ignition circuit connected to said winding, a lighting circuit connected to said windingin shunt Y relation to the ignition circuit, an interrupter in the ignition circuit arranged to close at predetermined periods 01! generation in said winding and to be open at periods oi generation between said predetermined periods, and an interrupter in the lighting'circuit arranged to open at said predetermined periods and to be closed at periods of generation between said predetermined periods, whereby ignition is prevented at undesired periods.

8. In an ignition and lighting system, an electric generator having a generating winding, an ignition circuit connected to said winding, 9. lighting circuit connected to said winding in shunt relation to the ignition circuit, an interrupter in the ignition circuit arranged to remain open between predetermined periods of generation in said winding, an interrupter in the lighting circuit arranged to remain closed between said predetermined periods, the interrupter in the ignition circuit also being arranged to close shortly before each of said predetermined periods and thereafter to open at said period, and the interrupter in the lighting circuit also being arranged to open substantially at'the time of each closure or the interrupter in the ignition circuit and to close at substantially the time of the next opening thereof, whereby ignition is prevented at undesired periods.

9. In an ignition and lighting system, an electric generator having primary and secondary generating windings, a sparkplug connected to the secondary winding, ignition and lighting circuits connectedito the primary windingin shunt relation to each other, and an interrupter in each of the ignition and. lighting circuits, the interrupter in the lighting circuit being arranged to open at substantially the time of closure of the interrupter in the ignition circuit and to close at substantially the time of next opening there 01, whereby undesired ignition impulses are prevented at the sparkplug.

10. In an ignition and lighting system, an elec tric generator. having two generating windings,

an ignition circuit connected to each of said taneous generationoi ignition impulses in said windings at predetermined periods, and an interrupter in each lighting circuit for causing the simultaneous generation of lighting impulses in said windings at periods other than the periods of the ignition impulses, said interrupters in the lighting circuits being arranged to open at substantiallythe time of closure of the interrupters in the ignition circuits and to close at substantially the time of the next opening thereof, whereby undesired ignition impulses are prevented in the ignition circuits.

11. In an ignition and lighting system, a magneto having a generating winding and means for causing periodic flux changes therein, an ignition circuit connected to said winding, a light ing circuit connected to said winding in shunt relation to the ignition circuit, an interrupter in the ignition circuit for causing the generation of ignition impulses in said winding at certain 01 said flux changes, and an interrupter in the lighting circuit for causing generation of the lighting impulses in said winding at other pesecondary winding, an ignition circuit connected to each primary winding, a lighting circuit con- 15 nected to each primary winding in shunt relation to the ignition circuit, interrupters in the ignition circuits ior causing the simultaneous generation of ignition sparks at the sparkplugs at certain of said flux changes, and interrupters in the lighting circuits for causing generation of lighting impulses in said windings at other periods. said interrupters in the lighting circuit being arranged to open simultaneously at substantially the time of closure of the interrupters in the ignition circuits and'to close simultaneous- 1y at substantially the time of the next opening thereof, whereby ignition at thesparkplugs is prevented at undesired periods.

KARL BEER. GUSTAV PFROMMER. 

